Why..?

Why do people love one cartridge and despise another when both are good rounds? The case in point is the 357Sig and the 45GAP. Contrary to what people tell you these are two great calibers.

The 357Sig mimes the 357 Mag and the 45GAP apes the 45acp. I have shot all four calibers and I like all four of them. The 357Sig is accurate, powerful, and a hoot to shoot. On the other hand, I shot a Springfield XD in 45GAP and I did not know it was not a 45acp until after I was done. The 45GAP is in the same power range as the 45acp, fits in smaller pistols, and it as accurate its bigger brother.

Again, I ask why do people love one cartridge and despise another when both are good rounds?

I really don't despise any cartridge. The newer auto pistols rounds like the 40 S&W, 357SIG or 45 GAP, are good rounds but they really don't appeal to me for several reasons. For self defense purposes, I'm sure they work well, but I have never felt under-gunned with a 9mm or a 45. When it comes to buying factory ammo the 9mm can be bought cheaper than any of the newer cartridges. For reloading the 45 has been around a long time, so brass is easily available, cheap, and lasts forever because of the low operating pressure. To sum it up, I have nothing against the newer rounds, just don't see any reason to change what has worked for me for a long time.

I really don't despise any cartridge. The newer auto pistols rounds like the 40 S&W, 357SIG or 45 GAP, are good rounds but they really don't appeal to me for several reasons. For self defense purposes, I'm sure they work well, but I have never felt under-gunned with a 9mm or a 45. When it comes to buying factory ammo the 9mm can be bought cheaper than any of the newer cartridges. For reloading the 45 has been around a long time, so brass is easily available, cheap, and lasts forever because of the low operating pressure. To sum it up, I have nothing against the newer rounds, just don't see any reason to change what has worked for me for a long time.

Why do people love one cartridge and despise another when both are good rounds? The case in point is the 357Sig and the 45GAP. Contrary to what people tell you these are two great calibers.

The 357Sig mimes the 357 Mag and the 45GAP apes the 45acp. I have shot all four calibers and I like all four of them. The 357Sig is accurate, powerful, and a hoot to shoot. On the other hand, I shot a Springfield XD in 45GAP and I did not know it was not a 45acp until after I was done. The 45GAP is in the same power range as the 45acp, fits in smaller pistols, and it as accurate its bigger brother.

Again, I ask why do people love one cartridge and despise another when both are good rounds?

Regards,

Richard

That is a very good question, sadly I think I don't think there is any one answer. It is always nice to have a lot of choices when choosing anything, but I think when someone finds what caliber they like, due to whatever reason, (a police report, a thread on a forum started by a doctor, magazine article, or just what a friend says is the best) people tend to think what they feel comfortable with is "THE BEST" and don't understand why anyone whould choose anything else.
I have read so much about, what caliber does what, over the years sometimes I think my brain is going to leak out of my ears. The truth is a person can go down from one shot form a .22 and another person can take 5 rounds of .45 and keep comming. Shot placement means everything in whatever caliber you choose. Whatever caliber you choose, for whatever reason gives you confidence in it, is good enough for me, but I am with Richard I don't understand the venomous speach from some folks if you don't choose what they do. All my guns are one caliber, for now, for reasons I have stated here before. About a year ago I decided to quite spending so much money and anguish trying to find what caliber is best and spend more time at the range making myself more accurate at still, and moving targets.
Everyone has their own theory on what the minium or maximum caliber is. Mine is pretty simple, anything your comfortable with and will carry, is the best caliber or gun for you.

I think most of the problem lays with old timmers who don't like change, and that is plum crazy. I am from the old school, and I like steel ,and wood guns in .357/.45. If I could afford more guns I would like some of Ships P99s. That .357SIG would be way up on the list too. I do feel the .45GAP was a waste of time as we got plenty of .45s to go around. Why didn't they make the gun fit the .45ACP. Oh well that's my two cents worth.

Some people find what they like then everything else is just crap. My favorite round is the .45. The only round that I have fired that I have not cared to much for is the .40. But this just could have been because of the platform it was being shot out of. I have never had a chance to shoot a .357sig sadly. Nor have I shot a .45GAP. I really have no need for the GAP. I have bigger hands so I like the .45 size frame but it is nice that people with smaller hands can still have a .45 of their own!

I'm a big big fan of .357 Sig, not only from working with some FBI-types, but I like how it shoots and I like how it does in very unscientific testing done by shooting water-filled bottles and such and seeing what each round does to them... But you could call me "new school" when it comes to handguns, I owned .40 S&W, .380 auto & .357 Sig before I bought my first .45 ACP, (I do however own 2 .45's now, and carry one of them so I must be learnin )

I think people's hatred of one or another caliber/gun/shooting stance/whatever is in inverse proportion to their level of experience. People I talk to or read on the "disinformation cowpath" who screech that "9mm/.40/.45/etc SUCKS!" are almost invariably novices, or worse yet people who have just enough knowledge to be dangerous.

Some people have way too much ego invested in their personal choices of weaponry. One of the things I learned early on, from 1911 partisan Chuck Taylor of all people, was "it's just a gun." I've sort of carried this over into most of the rather silly debates that fill internet shooting fora: 5.56 vs. 7.62, light bullet vs. heavy bullet, revolver vs. auto, blah blah blah.

From a defensive perspective, people need to get past the hardware stuff -- all of which is only marginally relevant -- and get down to the things that are important: mindset, awareness, tactics, and skill.

From a casual recreational standpoint, I have no idea why anyone would say one thing is better than the other. Obviously some calibers are better than others for specific purposes, say hunting or IPSC shooting, but that doesn't mean any of them suck. It just means they are tailored to a certain purpose.

From a defensive perspective, people need to get past the hardware stuff -- all of which is only marginally relevant -- and get down to the things that are important: mindset, awareness, tactics, and skill.

Don't hate other cals but don't do find it funny that all the new,improved,next best, latest, greatest, all compare themselves to the old standards that have proven themselves. The marketing is what it is really about sell something else to take market share from the company that has it, the almighty dollar is what drives all the new cal. out there

Mike, you hit the nail on the head We all know I have a lot of ego; I want to carry a prestigous name handgun, and that is why I carry my custom Bersa Thunder 45 Seriously, I use the Bersa because I have confidence in the caliber/pistol and it works for me. What is custom about my Bersa? I had Dick Williams K-Kote it. Regards, Richard

Way to Go.

Originally Posted by tony pasley

Don't hate other cals but don't do find it funny that all the new,improved,next best, latest, greatest, all compare themselves to the old standards that have proven themselves. The marketing is what it is really about sell something else to take market share from the company that has it, the almighty dollar is what drives all the new cal. out there

I think Tony has it in the bag along with Mike. Look at a lot of your hunting calibers. The WSM & WSSM'S. That's all marketing hype. We have had calibers around since the 1st of the last century that can get the job done. If you need a 1/2" shorter throw on your hunting rifle to make a second shot you didn't plan your frist shot very well.
Oh well my two cents worth.